Coffin and casket lid.



PATENTED. MAY 15, 1906.

T A. SMITH.

GOFFIN AND GASKET LID.

1 APPLICATION FILED JULY 10. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' lwewioz Wa Masses No; 820,744. PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

, T. A. SMITH. 00mm AND GASKET LID.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 10, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

with rare r reins.

THOMAS A. SMITH, OF SALEM. INDIANA.

COFFBN AND GASKET LIID.

hi0. 320,74d.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed July 10, 1905. Serial No. 268,995-

Lids, of w 'ch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cofhns and cas kets, and pertains especially to the class of lids or 'to sfor the same. While the invention may e employed on coffin tops or lids of various character, it is specially designed as an improvement upon my cano top casket patented December 16, 1902, 0. 716,122.

It is obvious that ordinarily to entirely expose the contents of a cofiin or casket the top or cover must be entirely removed therefrom, that in the case of my canopy-top casket only art of the interior is exposed when said top is raised, that when said top is closed it is incapable of being slid to expose any part of the interior of the coffin, and that the majority of caskets have doors or slides movable lengthwise the casket only sufficient to expose a portion of the contents of the casket, or the whole to is slidable lengthwise the casket, which on v reveals a portion of the contents of the coffin or casket. It is therefore the purpose of this invention to provide means whereby the whole body of a corpse may be disclosed to view in a canopytop casket Without removing said top but partly from the casket.

The in-vention consists in meansfor con the details of construction and arrangement of parts, resultin in sim licity and expeditious operation of casketids.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, Figure I is a perspective view of a canopy-top casket embodying my invention shown inv open position. Fig.

2 is a side elevation showing the casket closed.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the casket in closed position. Fig. 4 is-a detail cross section on the line w as, Fig. 2, showing the movable position of top 1n dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one end of a vframe 3.

In shifting the frame across the casket the casket, showing a modification. Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 3 '5 Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a to view of a casket partly open, showing a furt er modification. Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line a 2, Fig. 7, partly broken awa i T e same reference-numerals denote the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The invention as preferably usedwill be shown and described in connection with a casket having a canopy-top such as covered by my aforesaid patent, which has a drop side carr ing with it part of the front top molding. Tfie improvements hereinafter disclosed rovide for the shifting of thetop molding or frame whether the lid is o )GII or closed and for dro ping the whole of t e front top molding wit out dropping the side of the casket.

The lid ortions 1 and 2 are hinged together, an the portion 1 is hinged to the top molding or frame 3. The lid portion 1 has one end of a lever 5 pivoted thereto, the other end of the lever 5 being slidable on a rod 6,

secured to the lid portion 2, and a prop ,7 is

pivoted to the frame 3 for holding the lid in raised or canopy position.

The frame 3 is independent of the casket,- and the front portion 8 of the frame issepa rate from the latter and is carried by the drop side 9 of the casket. A'pair of links 10 are pivoted at 11 in each end 12 of the casket and incline'upwardly above the casket edge and are pivoted at 13 in the ends of the links give it a slight pivot or swinging move ment, which is stop ed in either direction by the frame ends stri 'ng the top edge of the casket ends. It is obvious that by this arrangement the entire length and breadthof the contents of the casket may be disclosed and that the lid may be opened and closed with the lid-frame in either position.

Referring to the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, one side 14 of the lid-molding is hinged to the top edge of the casket, and the ends of the latter are provided with an angleplate 15, secured upon the inner side of said ends and overlapping the top of said ends. This overlapping portion has a slot 16, in which a screw 17 is adapted to slide, with the screw-head working in a groove 18, formed in the top edge of the casket ends. rangoment no part of the device is visible when the lid is closed, and the latter is slid By this aronly about a third of the length of the casket I ends to disclose the whole form of a corpse.

Referring to the modification shown in Figs. 7 and S, the under side-of the molding or i lid-frame is provided at its ends with a plate- '1 disk 19, set into the molding by suitable screws, and said plate has a cam-face around i a central hole 20. The casket ends have a track 22, secured therein by screws 21. A track 22 has beveled sides or is dovetailed in cross-section, and said sides have flanges 23, spaced by a slot 24, which flanges overhang the base of the track, so as to leave an interval or space 25 throughout the length of the track. A slidable screw-stud 26 extends through the lid-molding at each end, and the studs are provided with a bushing 27 and a hand-knob 28. Both of the studs being of the same construction, only one of them will be described in detail. The screw portion of the stud extends through the bushing 27 to receive a knob 28, having its bearing on the bushing. The stud has a rectangular head 29, adapted to be inserted through the slot 24 into the space 25 of the track, and a circular bearing 30 is formed between the stud-stem. and its head to fit the said slot, and on the top face of the bearing 30 is formed a cam 31, adapted to cooperate with the disk-cam in locking the lid to the casket.

The tracks are placed in osition by inserting them endwise into t e ends of the casket before the sides of the casket are positioned, and it is only necessary to have the tracks extend part way the length of the casket ends. It is obvious that after securing, the tracks in place the plate-disks are placed in position to aline the plate-hole and the track-slot, so that the stud may he slid in the track as desired.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself in the application of these improve- 1 her of links employed.

of the frame movement,

ments to canopy-caskets or to drop-side caskets, nor do I confine myself to any num- Having thus described'myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1S

1. The combination, with a COFfiI). or casket,

of a lid-frame, and the links pivoted in pairs at one end to the lid-frame ends and having the other end pivoted to the coffin ends'on.

each side of the center of the coffin ends for supporting said frame.

2. The combination, with a coin or casket, of a lid-frame having one of its sides hinged to the coffin, a pair of links at each end of the frame and connecting these ends with the coflin ends to permit the lid to be swung across the cotrin independent of said frame side to open and close the coffin.

3. The combination, with a cofiin or casket, of a lidframe having its ends and one side connected and movable together, the other side being separate and movable independently, and means connecting the frame with the coffin to effect said movements.

4. The combination, with a coffin or casket, of a lid-frame movable across the casket, a canopylid movable with the frame and adapted to be adjusted thereon independent and means connecting said frame with the casket.

5. The'combination, with a coffin or casket, of a lid-frame movable across the casket, a canopy-lid hinged to the frame and adapted to be adjusted independent of the frame movement, and a air of links pivoted in each end of the cas (et and having separate pivot connections with the ends of the frame.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

. THOMAS A. SMITH.

' Nitnesses: v

WILLIAM EMERY, FRANK E. Mortars. 

